Spanish Books

Gr 3–6—This is the story of Cortés and his determination to establish control over the Aztec Empire in the name of the Spanish Crown. In his power play, he obligated Aztec emperor Montezuma to try to convince his people that the Spanish were actually allies. Montezuma's plea was seen as betrayal and he was stoned to death. A new leader was then elected. After much struggle on both sides, the new Aztec leader was captured by the Spanish, thus beginning the cruel and devastating decline of the empire. This Spanish translation of Abnett's graphic novel by the same name is a simply written and illustrated version of a controversial period of time that has left its mark on the people of Mexico. Though it does not tell the whole story, it gives kids a good overview of the historical figure and the decline of a great civilization.—Jessica McClinton, King County Library, Auburn, WA

Gr 2–5—After escaping from his cage, Perico, a parrot, sees his family preparing for a Cinco de Mayo celebration and wants to be part of the excitement. He volunteers to help make tamales, reciting a line he learned from little Martita: "Let me help! Let me help!" His offers are repeatedly brushed away by family members as they make paper flowers and pan dulce and practice their trumpets. Discouraged, Perico follows the family's barge and watches as its topmost decoration hits a bridge and falls into the San Antonio River. At that moment, he perches atop the barge and saves the day as only he can. The vibrant and festive colors used throughout invite readers into the celebration, and the images are true to the people they portray. The bilingual text is fluid in both Spanish and English, and the subject is sure to spark interest in the holiday. With this story, Ada reminds children that good intentions are the best help that anyone can offer.—Roberto Zapata, San Antonio Public Library, TX

Gr 3–5—Ten-year-old Nina grudgingly goes with her parents on a long road trip to visit her grandmother, who has become senile and might need to be moved to a facility. A year has passed since Nina last saw Amelia and she doesn't know what to expect. Upon their arrival, the woman recognizes everyone, and Nina begins to feel that nothing is wrong with her. As the days go by, Amelia captures her granddaughter's attention by telling her stories involving flowers, pirates, and mountains that were told to her as a young child. At first, Nina is skeptical and questions the veracity of the stories. But, Amelia is firm in her storytelling and soon Nina's imagination awakens. She looks forward to the stories and gets closer to her grandmother. The child speaks with her father, Amelia's son, and convinces him that there's nothing wrong with his mother. Alcolea skillfully presents a modern-day situation in which distance and lack of communication weaken family bonds. The author also allows readers to see that with effort and communication those bonds can resurface. The soft, warm illustrations capture the relationship between grandchild and grandparent. An excellent addition.—Ana Rodriguez, Tamarac Elementary School, FL

Gr 7 Up—Paula Sanz is a creative, sentimental girl who experiments as her life transforms from childhood to adolescence. She feels confused by her conflicting emotions and her moods seem like an endless roller-coaster ride. Under the apprehensive eyes of her parents, Paula starts to go to parties, outings, and picnics. She falls in love with Juan, a very proper university student. Her first love throws her off center and opens the doors to an unknown happiness, but her life is changing too quickly. She realizes that there is a time for everything and that her decisions can't be guided solely by her feelings. She learns how to make choices that will affect her future. This novel explores the thoughts of an adolescent, raised in the embrace of a well-to-do family in Bogotá, Colombia, in the '50s. Even though Paula's account of her journey into adulthood is set in the mid 20th century, today's adolescents will relate to her feelings and can compare how girls acted in that time and in relation to the expectations of their parents, friends, and society.—Liliana Patricia Rocha, Teton County Library, Jackson, WY

Gr 3–5—Inept adults populate the planet and chaos and anarchy seem to reign. Who will save humanity from the mindlessness and foolishness? Into this environment is born a girl who will unveil conspiracies against humanity. A gang of flea-covered evil birds conspires to use human appliances in order to take over the world. Adults are unaware of this plot, and only a cereal-eating, punk girl notices the birds hovering around. Does she care enough to save the adults from their ignorance? Will the birds manage to silence and dupe her as they have the adults? This book aids children in crossing over from picture books to graphic novels. Graphic images play a primary role in leading readers to the heart of the message. The text takes a backseat to stark images such as the expressions of the humans and the grotesqueness of the birds. The use of color is simple enough, allowing the illustrator to play with shadows as well as create patterns and textures. The book encourages children to speak up, even when adults are not noticing what is happening around them or the harm they are causing.—Veronica Corral, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, VA

Gr 5–8—Camilo and Andrés, living in poverty in Medellín, Colombia, find redemption at the public library when they meet a special librarian. Mar not only treats the boys with kindness and respect, but also helps them to discover the pleasures of reading. This award-winning novel touches on subjects such as child abuse and urban juvenile delinquency, but with such grace and loving care that readers will be struck by the beauty of the story and the positive message about the power of books and culture to defeat the violence that surges from endless poverty. López Dominguez illuminates the text with gray-shaded drawings. Although both author and illustrator are from Spain, their portrayal of the Santo Domingo Savio neighborhood is genuine.—Freda Mosquera, Broward County Library, FL

K-Gr 3—Told in verse, this story shows how a family celebrates Papá Luis's very special birthday. It begins, "Ésta es la fiesta para Papá Luis." Each page adds a new line to the story and a component of the party. From bringing out the piñata to the arrival of the guest of honor, each page describes everyone's contribution to the festivities. The children are in charge of the candy, Mamá Marta bakes the cake and the nieces place the candles on it, and friends and family dance the day away. The humorous illustrations of clowns, conga lines, and empanadas, and the boldly colored exaggerated cartoons of the relatives perfectly depict the party atmosphere and the joy felt by this family. Children will leave this book dreaming of parties.—Rebecca Alcalá, San Mateo County Library, CA

PreS-Gr 1—These board books use rhyming texts to introduce Ratatita, a dancing rat; a star named Tina; and boys and girls facing various obstacles. A boy wakes up one morning to discover that his toys are in boxes and his furniture is missing. He is frightened but is later comforted by his father, who explains they are moving to a new house. Tito chooses a star from the sky and unwittingly pulls her into his room. He is afraid that he has hurt her; when he finds that she is okay, he is happy with his brilliant new friend. In the third story, Pope and Nicolás are dancing happily when suddenly a rat appears and frightens Pope away. Nicolás isn't frightened, though, and convinces Pope that the rodent won't hurt her. Once Pope's trepidation is gone, the rat, Pope, and Nicolás dance the rumba. In each book, the same two illustrators offer a stylistic consistency with a saturated color palette and childlike drawings. The text and artwork complement one another well. The illustrations paint the world as a child might see it, with books frowning in confusion; an animated mosquito with bunny ears; and a fabulously personified, energetic rat. Great additions.—Shannon Dye Gemberling, Peoria Public Library, AZ

PreS-Gr 1—A hen speculates whether she could ever find a home that feels as good as her own. In the short rhyming text, she contemplates taking up residence in a library, a clock tower, a boat, a nest, a tree, a flying cage, a castle, an igloo, a clothing store, and a soft bed. Ultimately she comes full circle and realizes that there is no place like home. Children will enjoy the artistically rendered, oversize cartoon characters and have fun coming up with new abodes for the hen. This is a great selection for beginning readers.—Ana Rodriguez, Tamarac Elementary School, FL

Gr 4–6—This boxed set consists of a picture book, La pequeña bruja, and a faux reference book, Brujas y hechizos. A red-haired girl with very big eyes is pictured on the front of the box standing under a gold-embossed apple tree and holding a book. On the back of the box, readers see a similar-looking girl holding a copy of Brujas y hechizos amid a swarm of black birds. The stunningly detailed gothic-style illustrations are rendered in muted shades of crimson, slate, brown, and blue. The artwork is reminiscent of that in Tim Burton's animated film, The Nightmare Before Christmas. In the picture book, Lisbeth's busy parents send her and her cat on a train to visit her beloved grandmother Olga. While playing inside her house, Lisbeth and her friend Edward come across a mysterious old book of witches. The child is shocked to discover that she and her grandmother are included in its pages. The second title is the actual book of witches that Lisbeth comes across in her story. It features strikingly beautiful full-page illustrations and short biographies of famous women who are considered to be witches, including Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, and Medusa, as well as Lisbeth and Olga. The end of the book features a list of spells, a glossary, an index, and a table of contents. This magnificent set is highly recommended for collections that serve advanced readers of Spanish, and it's a must-have for collectors.—Rebecca Hickman, Alvin Sherman Library at Nova, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Gr 3–5—This poetry collection takes readers to a world in which fairies fly around dressed up as butterflies and where carefully kept secrets are revealed: how to know if your day will be filled with love; how to know if summer has arrived; which are the first secrets one must gather; what can magic paper do. The poems tell stories about the fairy who invented the first dream machine and others who take away certain objects that disappear without explanation, only to make them reappear later. Lechermeier also adds to this treasure the fairies' favorite perfumes, which tout such fragrances as Hot Chocolate and Grandma's Garden. The creative free verses are enhanced by Fronty's artfully conceived, lively illustrations full of beauty and color. This exquisite edition will be especially appreciated by fantasy lovers. Readers will be spellbound from the first sentence to the last.—Narda McCarthy, Para Los Niños, Broward County, FL

Gr 2–5—These books give basic information about national soccer teams. The texts are interesting and easy to read with large print and simple vocabulary. Each title contains information about the team's history and its notable players. This high-interest series will appeal to older children as well as beginning readers. Colorful action shots along with a few black-and-white archival photographs appear throughout. The glossaries include English words only.—Rebecca Hickman, Alvin Sherman Library at Nova, Fort Lauderdale, FL

PreS-Gr 3—A cycle begins when a single seed from an unusual tree is planted and a cutting from the seedling is harvested and given to another person. This process continues until many trees originating from the mother plant have taken hold and are now enjoyed by the community. Barcita adds a pleasant touch with her oil pastels, colored pencils, and acrylics. Trees are featured in each illustration, beginning with small seedlings planted in various containers, and that eventually grow into large trees around which children play, adults relax, and wildlife and pets frolic. Full-color, lifelike artwork done in greens, purples, and blues fills the pages and is augmented by fresh perspectives of how humans joyfully interact with the growing process. The illustrations, at one point, work independently of the text by showing that the trees are planted in a vacant field to create an eventual orchard. The simple story line easily lends itself to a clear translation. This title would work well as a supplement for beginning ESL or Spanish instruction and is a natural for schools and public libraries.—Cristi Jenkins, Fort Vancouver Library District, WA

PreS-Gr 1—Each of these books begins with the simple statement that we are all different. How individuals learn, play, communicate, read, and move are addressed in a straightforward manner answering the what, how, why, and where questions. Aprendemos begins by naming different things children learn like facts and skills, such as swimming and reading. Then it presents the different ways they learn by themselves or in groups; visual, touch, kinesthetic, auditory, and tactile. Jugamos, Comunicamos, Leemos, and Movemos follow the same format. The themes are developed sequentially, making it easy for young children to understand the concepts. The photographs include multicultural youngsters with or without disabilities. They correspond to the texts, providing needed support for young readers. Each book includes suggestions of activities for parents and teachers to do before and after reading the volumes. Useful additions to engage youngsters in conversation about the different topics.—Ana Rodriguez, Tamarac Elementary School, FL

K-Gr 3—Mamá asks Roberto for help with housekeeping chores but he claims that monsters will take him away if he complies. The Closet Monster, the Under the Table Monster, and the Dust Monster are a few of the colorful and brightly illustrated creatures he conjures up. Mamá turns the tables on her son when she says, "If I read you a story the Work Monster might grab me and take me away forever!" Roberto giggles and promptly announces that the Work Monster won't get her because it's afraid of him. Cervantes's digital illustrations are done in bold vibrant colors and complement Rivas's amusing story line. The book closes with a full-page illustration showing Mamá and Roberto snuggling up in a comfy chair ready to enjoy a book with the playful monsters looking on. This story will work well both as a read-aloud and for sharing one-on-one. Both versions, in English and Spanish, are entertaining.—Angélica Sauceda, Anaheim Public Library, CA

Gr 6 Up—In this motivational novel, a boy tries to understand how two brothers, one of whom is his father, grew up in the same circumstances and yet led very different lives. Alvin is in prison; his brother, Nelson, is a doctor. The story reveals some valuable lessons while reinforcing the importance of strong family relationships and the value of adults who can guide young people with love and a solid sense of direction. Although promoted as a graphic novel, the book fails to present the genre's characteristics; it has regular prose and few illustrations that are good but faint, giving the impression of opening a time capsule. Lacking originality, the examples cited in the book have been overused to the point of cliché. This is an easy-to-read title that could be used to spark classroom discussions.—Narda McCarthy, Consultant, Para Los Niños, Broward County, FL

PreS—Cuaquito is the youngest of five ducklings that have just hatched. Mama Duck waits for them to grow big enough to swim in the pond, but they are afraid to take the big plunge. One by one, the little ones gather enough courage to jump into water and swim to their mother. A guide at the bottom of the pages prompts youngsters to count how many ducklings are in the pond at that moment. While the story is a bit text-heavy for the board-book format, the bright illustrations and counting theme make it an enjoyable read for parents to share with their own little ones.—Erica Kindrick, Yolo County Library, CA

See p. 144 for the review of Betsy Diamant-Cohen's Early Literacy Programming en Español